scholarly journals Antioxidant glutathione inhibits inflammation in synovial fibroblasts via PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway: An in vitro study

Author(s):  
Wen Ting Hao ◽  
Lu Huang ◽  
Wei Pan ◽  
Yi Le Ren

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to investigate whether glutathione (GSH) could decrease the secretion of reactive oxygen species (ROS), reduce inflammation, and modulate the phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT (PTEN/PI3K/AKT) in synovial fibroblasts (SFs). Patients and methods: A total of 30 DBA/1J female mice were used in this study. The release of ROS in MH7A cells was examined using a ROS assay kit. The effects of GSH on the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression and protein levels of inflammatory cytokines were determined via reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in mouse SFs and MH7A cells, respectively. The PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway was investigated via Western blotting. The effects of buthionine-sulfoximine (BSO), as an inhibitor of GSH, on these molecules were examined. Results: The ROS were decreased after GSH treatment, and the mRNA levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, MMP-3, were also significantly inhibited after GSH stimulation. However, the IL-10 levels were enhanced, and GSH increased the expression of PTEN. The GSH suppressed the activation of phosphorylated (p)-PI3K and p-AKT. The supplementation of the BSO restored the activation of PI3K/AKT pathway with a high production of ROS. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were also elevated, when the BSO was added. Conclusion: These findings suggest that GSH can act as an inflammatory suppressor by downregulating the PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway in MH7A cells. These data indicated a novel function of GSH for improving the inflammation of RA SFs and may help to alleviate the pathological process of RA.

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 1245-1256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuo Chen ◽  
Lei Zhang ◽  
Ruonan Xu ◽  
Yunfan Ti ◽  
Yunlong Zhao ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: The bradykinin B2 receptor (BDKRB2) +9/-9 gene polymorphisms have been shown to be associated with the susceptibility and severity of osteoarthritis (OA); however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. In this study, we investigated the correlation between the BDKRB2 +9/-9 polymorphisms and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in OA and the molecular mechanisms involved. Methods: A total of 156 patients with primary knee OA and 121 healthy controls were enrolled. The BDKRB2 +9/-9 polymorphisms were genotyped. The tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 levels were determined using Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The toll-like receptor (TLR)-2 and TLR-4 mRNA levels were determined by quantitative real-time PCR. The basal and bradykinin-stimulated pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion in human OA synoviocytes and the involvement of TLR-2 and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were investigated. Results: The presence of -9 bp genotype is associated with higher TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8 levels and higher TLR-2 expression in OA patients. The basal and bradykinin-induced TLR-2 expressions in human OA synoviocytes were significantly reduced by specific inhibitors of p38, JNK1/2, and ERK1/2. Both the B2 receptor antagonist MEN16132 and TLR-2 silencing inhibited IL-6 and IL-8 secretion in human OA synoviocytes. Conclusion: The data suggested that the BDKRB2 +9/-9 polymorphisms influence pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in knee osteoarthritis by altering TLR-2 expression.


2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 610-625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun-Yan He ◽  
Li-Peng Jiang ◽  
Cheng-Yue Wang ◽  
Yue Zhang

Background/Aims: The roles of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in peri-implantitis are unclear. Here, we used a canine model of peri-implantitis to explore the effects of inhibiting NF-κB with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) on the inflammatory response in ligature-induced peri-implantitis. Methods: After successfully establishing the peri-implantitis model, beagles were randomly assigned to normal, model or PDTC groups. ELISA tests were used to determine the levels of interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). Immunohistochemistry was employed to assess the expression of NF-κB p65. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was performed to determine the mRNA levels of TLR4 and NF-κB p65, and western blot analysis was used to measure the protein levels of TLR4 in periodontal tissues from each group. Periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLFs) were cultured and subsequently classified into PDLF normal, PDLF model, PDLF LPS, PDLF PDTC, and PDLF LPS + PDTC groups. An immunofluorescence assay was used to measure the expression level of NF-κB p65. The CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry were performed to evaluate cell proliferation and apoptosis. Results: The in vitro results indicated that NF-κB p65 and TLR4 were upregulated in canine periodontal tissues, and PDTC could suppress the expression levels of NF-κB p65 and TLR4. Inflammation could increase TLR4 protein expression in canine periodontal tissue, and PDTC could inhibit the inflammation-induced increase in TLR4 protein expression. These results revealed that PDTC could reverse the LPS-induced increases in the levels of IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α. In vivo, the results demonstrated that PDTC inhibited the LPS-induced NF-κB p65 upregulation, and PDTC could reverse the inhibitory effect of the PDLF model + LPS on the proliferation of periodontal fibroblasts. The results also showed that in the PDLF model, LPS promoted PDLF apoptosis by inducing implant periodontitis in canines, but PDTC inhibited the PDLF apoptosis and relieved implant periodontitis in canines. Conclusion: Based on our results, we concluded that PDTC can inhibit the expression of NF-κB and alleviate the inflammatory response induced by LPS, thereby preventing periodontal inflammation and reducing the development of peri-implantitis.


2018 ◽  
Vol 92 (19) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan Ari Schwartz ◽  
Hongliang Zhang ◽  
Zachary Ende ◽  
Martin J. Deymier ◽  
Terry Lee ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection often arises from a single transmitted/founder (TF) viral variant among a large pool of viruses in the quasispecies in the transmitting partner. TF variants are typically nondominant in blood and genital secretions, indicating that they have unique traits. The plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC) is the primary alpha interferon (IFN-α)-producing cell in response to viral infections and is rapidly recruited to the female genital tract upon exposure to HIV-1. The impact of pDCs on transmission is unknown. We investigated whether evasion of pDC responses is a trait of TF viruses. pDCs from healthy donors were stimulated in vitro with a panel of 20 HIV-1 variants, consisting of one TF variant and three nontransmitted (NT) variants each from five transmission-linked donor pairs, and secretion of IFN-α and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). No significant differences in cytokine secretion in response to TF and NT viruses were observed, despite a trend toward enhanced IFN-α and TNF-α production in response to TF viruses. NT viruses demonstrated polarization toward production of either IFN-α or TNF-α, indicating possible dysregulation. Also, for NT viruses, IFN-α secretion was associated with increased resistance of the virus to inactivation by IFN-α in vitro, suggesting in vivo evolution. Thus, TF viruses do not appear to preferentially subvert pDC activation compared to that with nontransmitted HIV-1 variants. pDCs may, however, contribute to the in vivo evolution of HIV-1. IMPORTANCE The plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC) is the first cell type recruited to the site of HIV-1 exposure; however, its contribution to the viral bottleneck in HIV-1 transmission has not been explored previously. We hypothesized that transmitted/founder viruses are able to avoid the pDC response. In this study, we used previously established donor pair-linked transmitted/founder and nontransmitted (or chronic) variants of HIV-1 to stimulate pDCs. Transmitted/founder HIV-1, instead of suppressing pDC responses, induced IFN-α and TNF-α secretion to levels comparable to those induced by viruses from the transmitting partner. We noted several unique traits of chronic viruses, including polarization between IFN-α and TNF-α production as well as a strong relationship between IFN-α secretion and the resistance of the virus to neutralization. These data rule out the possibility that TF viruses preferentially suppress pDCs in comparison to the pDC response to nontransmitted HIV variants. pDCs may, however, be important drivers of viral evolution in vivo.


Author(s):  
Ayşe Koçak ◽  
Aydan Köken Avşar ◽  
Duygu Harmancı ◽  
Gül Akdoğan ◽  
A. Merih Birlik

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the possible fibrotic role of meprin metalloproteases and possible fibrotic effects of activator protein-1 (AP-1) in scleroderma patients. Patients and methods: Between April 2018 and April 2019, a total of 85 scleroderma patients (9 males, 76 females; mean age: 54.9 years; range, 22 to 80 years) who met the 2013 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism criteria and 80 healthy control individuals (10 males, 70 females; mean age 42.9 years; range, 19 to 65 years) were included. Patients’ data and blood samples were collected. Messenger ribonucleic acid expressions of interleukin (IL)-6, AP-1 subunits, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Serum meprin alpha and beta protein levels were analyzed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Meprin alpha and meprin beta protein levels increased in scleroderma patients. The AP-1 subunits (c-Fos, c-Jun), IL-6, and TNF-α increased in scleroderma patients, compared to controls. Conclusion: Our results provide evidence showing that increased meprins levels may be related to AP-1 levels and increased meprins levels may responsible for increased inflammatory TNF-α and IL-6 levels. All these data suggest meprins as promising therapeutic targets to restore the balance between inflammation and extracellular matrix deposition in scleroderma.


2016 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Li ◽  
Hongyan Ding ◽  
Xichun Wang ◽  
Lei Liu ◽  
Dan Huang ◽  
...  

Elevated levels of blood interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor–α (TNF–α) increase insulin resistance and result in inflammation. It is not clear whether elevated blood level of acetoacetate (ACAC) and decreased blood level of glucose, which are the predominant characteristics of clinical biochemistry in ketotic dairy cows, increase proinflammatory cytokines and subsequent inflammation. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that ACAC and glucose activate the NF-κB signalling pathway to regulate cytokines expression in bovine hepatocytes. Bovine hepatocytes were cultured with ACAC (0–4·8 mm) and glucose (0–5·55 mm) with or without NF-κB inhibitor PDTC for 24 h. The secretion and mRNA levels of cytokines were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The NF-κB signalling pathway activation was evaluated by western blotting. Results showed that the secretion and expression of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α increased in an ACAC dose-dependent manner. Additionally, there was an increase in the secretion and mRNA expression of these three cytokines in glucose treatment group, which increased significantly when the glucose concentrations exceed 3·33 mm. Furthermore, both ACAC and glucose upregulated NF-κB p65 protein expression and IκBα phosphorylation levels. However, these effects were reduced by PDTC. These results demonstrate that elevated levels of ACAC and glucose increase the synthesis and expression of proinflammatory factors by activating NF-κB signalling pathway in hepatocytes, which may contribute to inflammation injury in ketotic dairy cows.


2001 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 3678-3684 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. H. Tong ◽  
Y. Chen ◽  
M. James ◽  
J. Van Deusen ◽  
D. B. Welling ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT To define the role of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) lipooligosaccharide (LOS) in the induction of proinflammatory cytokine gene expression during otitis media, we compared the abilities of formalin-killed NTHI strain 2019 and its LOShtrB and rfaD mutants to stimulate human middle ear epithelial (HMEE) cell cytokine and chemokine gene expression and production in vitro. Strain DK-1, an rfaDgene mutant, expresses a truncated LOS consisting of only three deoxy-d-manno-octulosonic acid residues, a single heptose, and lipid A. Strain B29, an isogenichtrB mutant, possesses an altered oligosaccharide core and an altered lipid A. HMEE cells were incubated with formalin-killed NTHI 2019, B29, or DK-1. The supernatants and the cells were collected at 2, 4, 8, and 24 h after stimulation. Expression of genes for the cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin lβ (IL-1β), and IL-6 and for the chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein 1β (MIP-1β), monocyte chemotactic peptide 1 (MCP-1), and IL-8 was quantitated by real-time PCR. NTHI B29 did not significantly stimulate any cytokine or chemokine mRNA expression in HMEE cells. In striking contrast, NTHI 2019 induced up to 105-, 139-, and 187-fold increases in HMEE cell expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, and MIP-1β, respectively (P < 0.01 [2019 versus B29]). NTHI 2019 also induced upregulation of IL-8, IL-6, and MCP-1 mRNA expression (by 26-, 44-, and 14-fold, respectively [P < 0.05 {2019 versus B29}]). The significant induction of cytokine genes was confirmed by quantitating the secretion of cytokines in culture supernatants with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. There were no significant differences in mRNA expression of IL-8, IL-6, and MCP-1 between the 2019- and DK-1-treated groups. The low levels of gene transcripts observed after incubation of HMEE cells with B29 indicate that products of the disrupted NTHI htrB LOS gene may play a major role in induction of these particular inflammatory mediators.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 1595
Author(s):  
Beniamin Oskar Grabarek ◽  
Tomasz Kasela ◽  
Iwona Adwent ◽  
Barbara Zawidlak-Węgrzyńska ◽  
Ryszard Brus

Psoriasis is a disease with a proinflammatory base, in which an increased expression of leptin, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL) IL-12/23, IL-6, is observed. A drug used in the treatment of psoriasis of moderate and acute strength is the monoclonal antibody anti-TNF–adalimumab. The goal of this study was to evaluate the influence of adalimumab on changes in the expression profile of leptin-related genes in human keratinocyte cells exposed to lipopolysaccharide A and analyze if adalimumab acts via leptin pathways. The evaluation of changes of the pattern of genes connected with leptin and proteins coded by them was marked in a culture of human keratinocytes (HaCaT) exposed to 1 µg/mL lipopolysaccharide A (LPS) for 8 h in order to induce the inflammatory process, then to 8 µg/mL of adalimumab for 2.8 and 24 h in comparison with the control (cells not treated with the substances). The techniques used were mRNA microarray, Real-Time Quantitative Reverse Transcription Reaction (RTqPCR), Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), as well as transfections of HaCaT culture with leptin small interfering RNA (siRNA) in order to see whether adalimumab works through pathways dependent on leptin. A statistically lower expression of leptin and its receptors was observed under the influence of the drug, independent of the exposition time of keratinocytes to adalimumab. In the cells transfected with leptin siRNA, a lower concentration of JAK2 and STAT3 proteins was observed, which confirms that adalimumab works through pathways dependent on leptin. Adalimumab has a modulatory effect on the gene expression pattern and the proteins coded by them connected with leptin in keratinocytes treated with LPS in vitro.


2004 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 901-908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roongroje Thanawongnuwech ◽  
Brad Thacker ◽  
Patrick Halbur ◽  
Eileen L. Thacker

ABSTRACT Induction of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 (IL-1) (α and β), IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAMs) was assessed following experimental infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and/or Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae by using in vivo and in vitro models. The in vivo model consisted of pigs infected with PRRSV and/or M. hyopneumoniae and necropsied at 10, 28, or 42 days postinfection. Pigs infected with both pathogens had a greater percentage of macroscopic lung lesions, increased clinical disease, and slower viral clearance than pigs infected with either pathogen alone. The pigs infected with both PRRSV and M. hyopneumoniae had significantly increased levels of mRNA for many proinflammatory cytokines in PAMs collected by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) at all necropsy dates compared to those in uninfected control pigs. Increased levels of IL-1β, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-α proteins in BAL fluid, as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, confirmed the increased cytokine induction induced by the pathogens. An in vitro model consisted of M. hyopneumoniae-inoculated tracheal ring explants cultured with PRRSV-infected PAMs. PAMs were harvested at 6 or 15 h postinfection with either or both pathogens. The in vitro study detected increased IL-10 and IL-12 mRNA levels in PAMs infected with PRRSV at all time periods. In addition, IL-10 protein levels were significantly elevated in the culture supernatants in the presence of M. hyopneumoniae-inoculated tracheal ring explants. The increased production of proinflammatory cytokines in vivo and in vitro associated with concurrent M. hyopneumoniae and PRRSV infection may play a role in the increased rates of pneumonia associated with PRRSV infection. The increased levels of IL-10 may be a possible mechanism that PRRSV and M. hyopneumoniae use to exacerbate the severity and duration of pneumonia induced by PRRSV and modulate the respiratory immune response.


Biomolecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1563
Author(s):  
Larissa T. Volova ◽  
Evgeniy I. Pugachev ◽  
Victoria V. Rossinskaya ◽  
Violetta V. Boltovskaya ◽  
Dmitry A. Dolgushkin ◽  
...  

In the context of modern drug discovery, there is an obvious advantage to designing phenotypic bioassays based on human disease-relevant cells that express disease-relevant markers. The specific aim of the study was to develop a convenient and reliable method for screening compounds with Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) inhibitory activity. This assay was developed using cryopreserved ready-to-use cartilage-derived cells isolated from juvenile donors diagnosed with polydactyly. It has been demonstrated that all donor (10 donors) cells were able to respond to TNF-α treatment by increased secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 into subcultural medium. Inhibition of TNF-α using commercially available TNF-α inhibitor etanercept resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in IL-6 production which was measured by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). TNF-α dependent IL-6 production was detected in the cells after both their prolonged cultivation in vitro (≥20 passages) and cryopreservation. This phenotypic bioassay based on ready-to-use primary human cells was developed for detection of novel TNF-α inhibitory compounds and profiling of biosimilar drugs.


2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 483-495 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Habil ◽  
W. Abate ◽  
J. Beal ◽  
A.D. Foey

The inducible antimicrobial peptide human β-defensin-2 (hBD-2) stimulated by pro-inflammatory cytokines and bacterial products is essential to antipathogen responses of gut epithelial cells. Commensal and probiotic bacteria can augment such mucosal defences. Probiotic use in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, however, may have adverse effects, boosting inflammatory responses. The aim of this investigation was to determine the effect of selected probiotic strains on hBD-2 production by epithelial cells induced by pathologically relevant pro-inflammatory cytokines and the role of cytokine modulators in controlling hBD-2. Caco-2 colonic intestinal epithelial cells were pre-incubated with heat-killed probiotics, i.e. Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS) or Lactobacillus fermentum strain MS15 (LF), followed by stimulation of hBD-2 by interleukin (IL)-1β and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in the absence or presence of exogenous IL-10 or anti-IL-10 neutralising antibody. Cytokines and hBD-2 mRNA and protein were analysed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. LcS augmented IL-1β-induced hBD-2, whereas LF enhanced TNF-α- and suppressed IL-1β-induced hBD-2. LF enhanced TNF-α-induced TNF-α and suppressed IL-10, whereas augmented IL-1β-induced IL-10. LcS upregulated IL-1β-induced TNF-α mRNA and suppressed IL-10. Endogenous IL-10 differentially regulated hBD-2; neutralisation of IL-10 augmented TNF-α- and suppressed IL-1β-induced hBD-2. Exogenous IL-10, however, suppressed both TNF-α- and IL-1β-induced hBD-2; LcS partially rescued suppression in TNF-α- and IL-1β-stimulation, whereas LF further suppressed IL-1β-induced hBD-2. It can be concluded that probiotic strains differentially regulate hBD-2 mRNA expression and protein secretion, modulation being dictated by inflammatory stimulus and resulting cytokine environment.


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